Candle-light vigil against extra-judicial killings observed in Delhi
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, December 11 2015 : Large numbers of Manipuri youth gathered at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi under the banner of North-East Forum for International Solidarity (NEFIS) for a candle-light march against "extra-judicial killings" by armed security personnel in Manipur.

According to a NEFIS press note, activists and Manipuri youth protested against the central government's action of not making the army personnel accountable to special investigation and Indian courts.

The immediate call for the candle-light vigil was taken following the "Attorney General's adverse comments in the Supreme Court against the people of Manipur", said the press release.

Prominent human rights activist Babloo Loitongbom addressed the protest meeting and condemned Attorney General's statement.

Since early December 2015, the Supreme Court has been hearing the final arguments in the case filed by Manipuri activists and human rights organizations on the issue of fake encounters by the armed personnel and the impunity the armed forces enjoy under the draconian Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA).

In the final arguments, the Attorney General, who represents the Government of India, made several objectionable comments about the people of Manipur in the effort to justify the central government's decision "to shield armed personnel's actions in joint or independent operations from investigation and from judicial action as per existing laws of the Indian courts" .

"It is this hardened, anti-people approach of the government that triggered today's candle-light march at Jantar Mantar," alleged the protestors.

NEFIS expressed shock with the report that the "number of persons who have been killed in fake encounter cases by the security forces in Manipur up till 2012 is above 1528, which is 14.43% of the total population of the State.

The forum said these details have been placed before the Supreme Court.

NEFIS said such brute action, the resistance to open up extra-judicial killings to investigation, as well as the unwillingness to take appropriate and timely action, like court martial, under the given Army Act, indicate nothing but government's apathy and intolerance of people's movement in Manipur.

At the candle-light vigil and protest meeting, NEFIS activists resolved that if the Supreme Court ruling fails to uphold justice then an all-India campaign will be launched on the issue and a public condemnation will be aggressively pursued across cities where Manipuri youth study/work in large numbers.

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